Forgotten Wounds
by Tyger Magick
Summary: Dri's closed up, no one knows why. Richie can't help, Mac can't help, so they call in some help. Seq to Adventures in Grounding
1. Nightmares

AN: I know it's been a while, but here's a new one. If you haven't read "The Stray, A Time To Kill, or Adventures in Grounding" you might want to read those first in that order.  
  
Oh and because it's been a while, R.J. is a stuffed tiger that Richie bought for Dri. She named it Richie Jr. R.J. for short.  
  
Okay enough rambling on with the story  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Drina."  
  
Her green eyes shot open. She knew that voice. But it couldn't be, there was no way. There was only one person in the world that had ever called her Drina and there was no way he could call her that now.  
  
"Drina," The familiar voice called again. "Drina look at me."  
  
The young girl's heart was pounding fiercely in her chest as she rolled over and sat up. She let out a soft gasp. A young man with shoulder length ruby red hair and green eyes stood at the end of her bed smiling at her. He was wearing black jeans and a blue shirt.  
  
"Adrian?" She whispered.  
  
"Hey sis, I've missed you."  
  
Dri shook her head. "It can't be. You're..you're."  
  
"Dead?" Adrian finished for her. He shook his head. "Come on Drina." He held out his hand to her.  
  
"Where are we going?" She asked throwing back the blankets. She was wearing an oversized black t-shirt as a night gown.  
  
"You'll see," Adrian replied as she got out of bed and took his hand.  
  
They smiled face to face for a moment and then Adrian pulled Dri into a strong hug. She couldn't help but embrace him back. She had missed him so much. She had never felt so good. She had her brother in her arms again. It felt so right, she never wanted to let go.  
  
"Come on Drina, we have to go." He said, stroking her hair.  
  
She sighed. "Why? Can't we just stay here?" She rubbed her cheek against his chest. "Nothing matters as long as you're here."  
  
Adrian pulled away just enough so that she could see him. There arms were still interlocked. Dri gasped at the sight.  
  
His shirt was now in tattered, bloody ruins. There were scars, cuts, and bruises all over his hansom face and chest. Dri reached a hand up to his face, but Adrian's grip tightened painfully around her arms.  
  
"Do you see?" He asked angrily.  
  
"Adrian, I.."  
  
"You what?" He asked jerking her roughly. "You're sorry?"  
  
"Adrian, you're hurting me," Dri pleaded trying to wiggle out of his iron grip.  
  
"I'm hurting you!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "Look at me Drina! Look at the pain you have caused me!" He shook her again for emphasis.  
  
"Adrian I'm sorry!" She pleaded. "I never meant.."  
  
"You never meant! You never meant!" He threw her back on the bed. "This is your fault! All of it! I was hurt because of you! I'm dead because of you!"  
  
"Adrian please!" She cried.  
  
"NO!" He yelled. "This is your fault! You're to blame!" He leaned into her face and whispered, "I'm dead because of you!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Duncan sat up in bed. Something had woken him, but he wasn't sure what it was. It wasn't another immortal. That much he was sure of, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.  
  
After four hundred years the Highlander learned to trust his gut, so if he felt that something was wrong, he was certain something was. He got out of bed and slowly trudged into the living room.  
  
Mac was walking towards the kitchen when he heard cries coming from Dri's room. He knew that she was having a nightmare. For a while she wasn't having them at all, but for the last month they had gotten worse. Almost every night again. Dri wouldn't tell him about it and he couldn't figure out what was going on.  
  
The Highlander quickly walked over and opened her door. "Dri?"  
  
"Adrian I'm sorry!" She cried in her sleep.  
  
Duncan walked over and sat next to her on the bed. Sweat matted her hair to her forehead. She was completely tangled in her sheets, tossing around.  
  
He put a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. "Come on sweet heart wake up."  
  
Dri eyes shot open and she sat up in bed so hard that she practically threw herself into Mac's arms.  
  
"Hey, it's okay," He said. "It was just a nightmare."  
  
Dri looked around, breathing heavily. Duncan started stroking her hair.  
  
"Don't do that," She said pulling away from him so that she was sitting back out of his arms. The feeling was too familiar and not in a good way.  
  
"Want to talk about it?"  
  
She shook her head and sniffled. "Where's R.J.?"  
  
Duncan looked around and finally saw the stuff tiger lying on the floor. He picked it up and handed it to Dri. She took it and hugged it to her chest as if it were a life line. Mac noticed how much younger she looked. She looked seven instead of seventeen.  
  
"You want me to stay or go?" Duncan asked.  
  
She shrugged.  
  
Duncan was becoming exasperated. "Dri you have to talk to me. You can't keep doing this. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."  
  
Dri shut her eyes tightly as warm tears slid down her cheeks, but she didn't answer. Mac put a hand on her shoulder and she quickly jerked away.  
  
"Don't!" She yelled.  
  
"Dri what is going on with you? You won't talk to me, you won't talk to Richie! You've barely left the place since school got out. Talk to me dammit!" He grabbed her arm and shook her. He noticed her wince and lightened the grip on her arm. To be honest he hadn't thought he was holding her that tight.  
  
She opened her eyes and pulled away from him. "Go to hell," She spat and ran out of the room.  
  
Duncan sighed. He didn't know what to do. She had opened up to Richie for a while, especially after the whole hospital incident. Then one day she just shut down, closed herself off to the world.  
  
Since then she barely ate, when she slept she had nightmares and she wouldn't talk about it. She had lost weight, she was pale and it didn't take a genius to figure out that she was depressed. Mac just didn't know what to do anymore, but he knew who to call. ~~~~~~~~~  
  
All right guys please review. I'll have an update as soon as possible. TTFN 


	2. Help Arrives

AN: All right guys here's the next part. Thanks to SouthernChickie for educating me about Sean Burns. She's the greatest!! Tehe.  
  
Dri was sitting on a weight bench staring out the window at the pouring rain. The dojo was closed today so thankfully no one was around. Duncan and Richie were off helping Joe with his bar. Some light fixtures needed replacing or something. She hadn't really paid attention. All in all she was just glad to have the place to herself.  
  
Dri was so sick of Mac and Richie pushing her to talk. She wasn't ready. She probably wouldn't ever be ready honestly. It was personal and it was something she was going to have to deal with herself. No one could help her with this one.  
  
Thunder crashed overhead and Dri jumped. She wasn't too fond of storms, especially when she was by herself. Sitting here alone she almost welcomed the storm if it meant no one was nagging at her or asking her a million questions. Almost.  
  
Thunder boomed again followed by a sharp crack of lightning that lit up the entire sky. Dri jumped off the bench and backed away from the window. The lights flickered and went off. Everything was left in a cool twilight.  
  
"Hello," A male voice said causing Dri to jump again.  
  
She turned towards the doors and saw a man standing there. He was taller than her but that was all she could tell because he was covered in shadows.  
  
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to frighten you."  
  
Once Dri could hear over the pounding of her heart she told him, "We're closed, come back tomorrow."  
  
"I'm looking for Duncan MacLeod," He stated.  
  
"He's not here," She said more sternly. "Come back tomorrow."  
  
"He's expecting me today."  
  
Dri was becoming angry. This guy just couldn't take a hint.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"My name is Sean Burns," Was the nonchalant reply.  
  
Dri sighed. She had completely forgotten. Duncan had made mention that this Burns guy might show up. Dri was supposed to be courteous and show him around if Mac hadn't returned before Sean got there.  
  
"Oh, right," She said. "Come on I'll show you around, though it won't be much of a tour with the lights out."  
  
"I'm sure it will be fine," Sean replied. "You wouldn't happen to be Dri would you."  
  
Truth was Sean knew who she was. Duncan had called and told him everything that was going on. Sean wanted to meet Dri by herself the first time so he could see how she acted both with and away from them, so Mac and Richie had made up some story about helping Joe.  
  
"Yeah, that's me," She said leading him up the stairs. She didn't think much about Sean knowing her name because she assumed Duncan had told him all about her. Not that it was surprising or anything. "There's not much to show. This is the living room, that's the kitchen, the room on the right is Macs, the one on the left is mine, the bathroom is that door right there. Tour over." She said walking to the kitchen.  
  
"That was enlightening," Sean said following her and then sitting at the counter.  
  
"Wasn't it though," Dri replied sarcastically. "Want something to drink?"  
  
Water please," He requested. "So how did you come to meet Mac?"  
  
"What do you care?" Dri asked getting two bottles of water from the fridge.  
  
"Just curious," He replied taking the water from her, "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome and it's a long story."  
  
Thunder crashed and Dri dropped her opened bottle on the floor.  
  
"Shit!" She exclaimed picking it up.  
  
Sean grabbed some napkins, walked around the counter and kneeled next to Dri. She immediately stood and backed away from him. Sean just looked up at her.  
  
"I'm only going to help clean the mess."  
  
"It's fine," She told him. "I've got it."  
  
Sean stood up and handed her the napkins. She took them from him and Sean went back and sat down. Dri quickly cleaned up the water and threw away the soggy napkins.  
  
"I take it you don't like storms?" Sean asked.  
  
Dri shrugged and sipped what was left of her water.  
  
"Shrugging doesn't tell me much," Sean said.  
  
"Why the hell are you so interested?" She asked angrily. It was bad enough Mac and Richie continually asked her stupid questions; now this guy she didn't even know was going to bug her to? This day was really turning out to suck.  
  
"Sorry," He told her. "It's in my natures to ask questions."  
  
"Well stop my life is not your concern."  
  
"All right," Sean complied. "What should we talk about then? We can't just sit here sitting at each other until Mac gets here."  
  
"We can talk about anything but me," Dri mumbled. She didn't mean to be so short tempered but she was so sick of everyone asking her questions.  
  
"What's wrong with talking about you?"  
  
Dri was getting annoyed. There he went with the questions again.  
  
"Why don't we talk about you?" She said changing the subject. "If you know Mac you must have been around for a while."  
  
Sean nodded. "A couple hundred years."  
  
Duncan had told Sean that she knew about immortals, so he didn't mind telling her what she wanted to know.  
  
Dri was going to ask how he met Mac, but since she didn't tell him she thought it would be an unfair question. Instead she settled for, "What do you do for a living?"  
  
Sean opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when he felt the buzz hit. Dri knew the look even if she didn't know Sean. She had seen the same on Duncan and Richie a million times. Even once on Connor. It was just as readable on any other immortals face.  
  
"Dri?" They both heard Mac yell from the stairs. A bit of worry was evident in his voice.  
  
"Up here safe and sound Mac," She yelled back.  
  
Duncan and Richie appeared in the apartment a moment later. Both of them had their swords drawn. Dri rolled her eyes at the sight. They were both so overprotective sometimes it made her sick.  
  
Seeing Sean both men quickly put their swords away. Duncan and Sean smiled at each other.  
  
"Sean, how are you?" The Highlander asked.  
  
Sean walked over and met him by the couch. The two men embraced each other. Again Dri rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'm well my friend, but were you expecting someone else?"  
  
"No, but it's always good to air on the side of caution."  
  
"Too true my friend, too true." Sean turned his attention towards Richie. "Well my young friend, you're looking better than the last time I saw you."  
  
Richie walked over and shook Sean's hand. "Yeah well friends will do that to you I guess," He replied blushing.  
  
Dri gave Richie a puzzled look. "Okay did I miss something here?"  
  
"Um, Sean helped me through some stuff after Tessa died," He said sheepishly. He still wasn't proud of what he had done to himself.  
  
Dri's eyes narrowed. "And why would Sean do that?" She was sure she already knew the answer, but had to ask it anyways.  
  
"I didn't get to answer your question a moment ago did I?" Sean stated more than he asked.  
  
"Answer it now," Dri stated angrily.  
  
"I'm a psychiatrist," He told her.  
  
The teenage girl glared at him, then at Duncan, and then at Richie. It lingered on Richie the longest. She had been set up and she knew it. All three men were staring at her waiting for her reaction.  
  
"Are you all right Dri?" Sean asked.  
  
Dri felt rage grow inside her. She couldn't believe they did this. Okay, Mac she could believe. He'd definitely do something like this, but Richie? She never expected him to do something so cruel.  
  
She gripped the water bottle and before she could stop herself it was flying across the room and aimed for Richie. He ducked out of the way and it slammed into the far wall with a resounding thud.  
  
"What did I do?" Richie asked a bit hurt she had aimed it at him.  
  
"Don't play innocent," She seethed. "You were in on this as much as he was!" She pointed at Duncan.  
  
"Dri, we just want to help," Mac stated calmly.  
  
Her icy gaze went to the Highlander.  
  
"If you want to help me, then leave me the hell alone!" She stormed past the three men and into her room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~Please Review!! Thanks guys! 


	3. Flash Backs

AN: Hey guys thanks for the reviews. Here's the next part.  
  
Dri was curled up in her bed, facing the wall when she heard a soft knock on her door. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to fall. She didn't answer to the knock. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She was angry and hurt.  
  
She sniffled and the knock came again. Dri still stayed quiet. She was hoping that they believed she was sleeping. She heard the door open slowly and knew whoever it was, wasn't going to leave her alone.  
  
"Dri?"  
  
She turned her head and looked back at the door. Sean Burns was standing there. The lights were still out so she still couldn't tell what he looked like. She turned back towards the wall.  
  
"Is it all right if I come in?" He asked.  
  
She shrugged and Sean walked in closing the door behind him. He walked over and stood next to the bed. He pulled out the chair from her desk and sat down.  
  
"What do you want?" Dri asked trying to keep the pain out of her voice.  
  
"Just to talk."  
  
"Well I don't want to talk," She replied trying to sound angry.  
  
"You can't keep everything in forever," Sean told her. "One day it will eat you up inside."  
  
"I have plenty of time to heal myself. I'm immortal remember."  
  
"You're not immortal yet and the longer you wait to deal with it, the harder it will be for you to heal."  
  
"Maybe I don't deserve to heal. Maybe I'm supposed to suffer for eternity," She whispered.  
  
"Why do you say that?" He asked.  
  
"Because." Dri stopped herself. What the hell was she doing? She didn't even know this guy and she was about to talk to him about her life. She shook her head and sat up facing him. "You're good at what you do, but I'm not going to tell you my life story. I'm sure Mac and Richie told you enough about it as is."  
  
Sean leaned forward on his knees. "They only care about you. They just want to help. Besides they truly didn't tell me much. They told me you had a rough past. That both your father and your brother died."  
  
She flinched at the thought of Adrian. This didn't go past Sean.  
  
"Why don't you tell me about your past," He asked. "Tell me about your brother."  
  
Thunder crashed and Dri visibly started shaking.  
  
"Are you all right?" Sean asked.  
  
Dri didn't answer. She wrapped her arms around herself and started rocking back and forth.  
  
"Leave me alone," She whispered. She had thought the storm had passed. Apparently she was wrong.  
  
"Would you like me to get Duncan or Richie for you?" Sean asked.  
  
Dri didn't answer. Instead she got up and ran out of the room. She bolted for the stairs, but Duncan was too fast for her. He grabbed her around the waist and she started struggling.  
  
"Let go of me!" She screamed.  
  
Richie who had been sitting on the couch was now standing, staring at Dri struggling in Duncan's arms with a look of shock on his face. Sean was standing in the doorway of Dri's room.  
  
"Dri calm down!" Duncan exclaimed.  
  
"LET GO!"  
  
Sean went over and to a bag that no one had even noticed he was carrying and pulled out a syringe. He didn't like drugging people, but Dri was getting completely out of control.  
  
Dri saw the syringe in his hand. She started struggling harder. She wasn't going to let him drug her again. No way in hell.  
  
"No Alec! Please NO!"  
  
Duncan and Richie exchanged a glance. She hadn't said Alec's name in a long time.  
  
Dri sagged in Duncan's arms. It was all he could to do keep from dropping her. He picked her up so that he was holding her under her shoulders and her knees.  
  
"Please don't drug me," She whispered. "I can't do it again."  
  
Sean put the syringe down on the counter. "Do what Dri?"  
  
Lightning lit up the room followed by a boom of thunder. Dri put her arms over her head as if to protect herself.  
  
"It's all right sweet heart," Duncan told her.  
  
Sean put up a hand to silence him. "Dri what don't you want Alec to do to you?"  
  
"Just leave me alone," She said weakly. "Please just leave me alone."  
  
Sean nodded to Duncan and the Highlander carried her into her room. Sean sat down on the couch. Richie walked over and stood in front of him.  
  
"What the hell is that all about?" He asked. "She's freaked out, but not like this before."  
  
"I don't think she was under quite as much stress as she is now," Sean replied.  
  
"I don't understand," Richie said. "What stress?"  
  
Suddenly a scream came out of Dri's room. Sean and Richie ran into the room. Dri was pushed as far back into the corner of her bed as she could go. She was staring at Duncan as though she didn't even know him. Her eyes were wide with fear and she was shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"Dri it's me, Mac."  
  
Sean walked out of the room and went back to get the syringe. He came back and Dri was still in the same position. He kept the syringe low so that Dri couldn't see it. He slowly approached the bed.  
  
"We're going to have to sedate her," Sean said.  
  
Duncan nodded. He slowly approached Dri. Thunder boomed and it was enough to send her running, but the room was small and she couldn't get past the three of them. Mac and Richie grabbed her. She started screaming bloody murder.  
  
"NO!" She cried as Sean injected her.  
  
Within seconds she was calming down. She started to fall limp and Duncan picked her up again. He laid her in bed. She was looking up at him with unfocused, frightened eyes.  
  
"I promise to be good," She slurred. "Don't hurt me again," She pleaded as she finally passed out.  
  
The three men walked out of the room. Duncan sat down on the couch and leaned forward.  
  
"She's never done that before," He said.  
  
"Lost it like that?" Sean asked.  
  
"No, looked at me like I was going to hurt her," Mac replied.  
  
Sean walked over and sat next to him. "It wasn't you she saw Duncan. It was Alex."  
  
"Why now?" Richie asked pacing back and forth. "I mean why didn't something like this happen before?"  
  
Sean shrugged. "Well I think it may the storm. It may have triggered something she didn't remember, or rather chose not to remember."  
  
"There have been storms before," Duncan argued. "She didn't freak out like this all the other times it's thundered. I mean she always was a little nervous of the storm, but nothing like this."  
  
"When I mentioned her brother earlier something flickered across her face. I can't be sure what it was, but it whatever it was, it wasn't a happy emotion."  
  
"That's because she still in part blames herself for what Alex did to her brother." Richie said.  
  
Sean shook his head. "I think there's more to it than that."  
  
"Like what?" Duncan asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I want to talk to her again, but not during the storm. I think she'll be calmer then."  
  
"So what do we do until then?" Richie asked.  
  
"Richie stop pacing," Mac said. "You're going to wear a whole into the floor."  
  
"Sorry," Richie mumbled, walking over and sitting in the chair. "I'm just worried about her."  
  
"We all are," Sean told him. "But we can't do anything until she wakes up."  
  
Suddenly the lights buzzed and then clicked on. All three men shielded themselves for a moment from the sudden brightness.  
  
"Bout time," Richie mumbled.  
  
"It would have been nice had it come on earlier," Mac stated.  
  
"Maybe, but I don't think it would have changed what happened." Sean told them. "She's kept whatever it is in for so long that her mind is starting to crack. She needs to get it out or she's going to have a breakdown."  
  
"How long will she be out?" Richie asked.  
  
"A few hours at most. I'm hoping by then the storm will be over."  
  
"So we just sit and wait until then?" Mac asked.  
  
"We just sit and wait until then," Sean concurred.  
  
Richie sighed. "Well anybody hungry?"  
  
Sean and Mac laughed.  
  
"What?" Richie asked.  
  
"Nothing tough guy, nothing." Mac said. "I'll cook us some lunch."  
  
"What?" Richie asked again as Mac got up and went to the kitchen. "What'd I say?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~Please Review!!!! 


	4. Waking

AN: Okay guys here's the next part. If you have any questions about the Richie situation I suggest you read "Will to Live" By SouthernChickie. It's a really great story and she's my inspiration.  
  
~~ Dri awoke with a start. Her heart was pounding; her breath came in ragged gasps. Sweat permeated her skin so badly that her shirt clung to her. Her red hair was tangled and partially matted to her face.  
  
"It's all right," a voice said that she knew, but couldn't place. "You're safe."  
  
Dri looked over and saw a man, about Duncan's age sitting in the chair next to her bed. He had short reddish brown hair and brown eyes. She panicked when she didn't recognize him.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked.  
  
He chuckled a bit. "I should have realized you wouldn't know who I was. After all you've only seen me with the lights out. My name is Sean Burns."  
  
Dri struggled to remember. She was a bit groggy from the drugs and everything was sort of fuzzy. She started to sit up and Sean helped her.  
  
"How are you feeling?" He asked.  
  
"What happened?" She asked.  
  
Sean tilted his head. "You don't remember?"  
  
"Everything's disoriented right now." She said putting a hand to her head. "I feel like I've been drugged."  
  
"That's because you were," He answered nonchalantly.  
  
Dri looked at him and then she started to remember. Sean was Duncan's friend. He was a shrink. They had set her up and drugged her.  
  
"Where are Mac and Richie?" She asked trying to control her anger.  
  
"They're in the living room. We've been taking shifts watching over you."  
  
Dri threw back the covers and got out of bed. As she stood a dizzy spell over came her. Seeing her sway Sean got up to steady her. She pulled away from him and fell back on the bed.  
  
"Don't touch me!" She seethed.  
  
"I only want to help." He told her.  
  
"I'm so sure." Dri replied getting up again. When she didn't get dizzy she stormed out into the living room.  
  
Richie and Mac were watching TV and jumped up when the door slammed open.  
  
"Who the hell do you think you are?" She yelled. "You had not right to do what you did, either of you!"  
  
"Dri we." Richie began.  
  
"NO, I don't want to hear it. I don't care what either of you have to say. You set me up."  
  
Mac stood there calmly with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
"They only want to help you," Sean said coming up behind her.  
  
"I don't need help!"  
  
"Dri you're not eating, you've been having nightmares and you won't tell us what's wrong." Duncan told her. "We didn't know what else to do."  
  
"You could have just left me alone!" She yelled. "I'm fine dammit!"  
  
"You're not fine!" Richie yelled. "And I for one can not stand to see you like this! I can't stand to see the pain in your eyes! I can't stand to see you go through what I've been through!"  
  
Dri opened her mouth to argue, but stopped. What he said caught her off guard. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Richie looked over at Mac with desperation on his face. He hadn't meant to tell her that. He wasn't ready for Dri to know that much about his past.  
  
"Richie what do you mean what you went through?" Dri tried again.  
  
Mac, understanding walked over and put a hand on Richie's shoulder. He knew how hard was for Richie to talk about this. It wasn't exactly his favorite topic.  
  
"It's all right tough guy. I'll tell her."  
  
Richie shook his head, finally coming out of the shock of what he had just said. "No, it's all right. I can tell her."  
  
"Someone had better tell me something," Dri snapped.  
  
"Dri, when Tessa died..I blamed myself. I thought I should have been the one to die. I survived the attack. I didn't know I was immortal and I tried to commit suicide. I even stopped eating. It was hard to overcome that. I kept so much inside for so long that I almost self destructed. I don't want to see you do that." He said it all quickly.  
  
Richie, who had been looking down during the explanation, now looked up at Dri. She stood there with no emotion on her face. She just stared at him, which made him very uncomfortable.  
  
"Say something," He said quietly.  
  
The truth was Dri didn't know what to say. She had never known that about Richie. It was kind of scary to think that he had done that to himself.  
  
"Look Richie I'm sorry you went through all that," she said earnestly. "But I'm not starving myself. I know I'm immortal so the only way to kill myself is to chop off my head. I think that would be a little difficult."  
  
"You could find a way if you really wanted to," Duncan told her.  
  
She glared at him. "I am fine! Why won't you believe me?"  
  
"I'll make a deal with you," The Highlander said. "You have a couple of sessions with Sean and if he says that you're fine, then I won't bother you about it anymore."  
  
"You can't just take my word for it?" She asked angrily. "You don't trust me anymore?"  
  
Duncan sighed. "Dri it's not that I don't trust you. It's just that I want to make sure with out a shadow of a doubt that you are all right."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "You don't think that I know if I'm all right?"  
  
"Think of me as a worried father who wants to make sure."  
  
Dri's eyes narrowed. "You are not now, nor will you ever be my father."  
  
"I know I'm not your father," Mac said gently. "But I am your friend and I am worried."  
  
Dri looked from Mac, to Sean, and then to Richie. Her gaze settled on Richie. He looked so concerned.  
  
"Fine," She finally conceded. "I'll talk to him."  
  
"All right," Mac said. "But we go by what Sean says. If he says that you need to continue with him then you do it. Do we have a deal?"  
  
Dri nodded. "Yeah, we have a deal."  
  
~~~Please Review 


	5. Session 1

AN: Come on guys where are the reviews? I miss them lol. Anyways here's the next part. Let me know what you think.  
  
Dri sat in her bed with R.J. clutched to her chest. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She was wearing a pair of loose blue pajama pants, and a black shirt. She had taken a shower and cleaned up after everything.  
  
She was trying to prolong the inevitable. Sean was in the living room waiting to talk to her. She had been assured that Duncan and Richie would not be around during the time she and Sean were talking. Dri wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She wasn't exactly comfortable around Sean, but she wasn't thrilled with Mac or Richie at the moment.  
  
There was a soft knock on her door.  
  
"Dri are you ready?" Sean called through the door.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be out in a second."  
  
"All right. I'll be waiting."  
  
Dri sighed. She didn't want to do this.  
  
"Just relax," She said to herself. "Just play happy and everything will be all right." Dri took a couple of deep breaths and walked out into her awaiting hell.  
  
Sean was sitting on the recliner, hands folded over his lap. He smiled when she came through the door. Dri didn't smile back. She just walked over to the couch and plopped down. She still had R.J. in her arms.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Sean asked.  
  
Dri shrugged. "Better than before."  
  
"That's good."  
  
"So what exactly am I supposed to do?" Dri asked. "I am I supposed to just lie down and tell you my life story?"  
  
Sean laughed. "You don't have to lie down and we can talk about whatever you want."  
  
She shrugged again. "I don't know what to talk about."  
  
"Well why don't we talk about your brother."  
  
Dri sucked her breath in. She hadn't been expecting that. It was hard to talk about Adrian. That wasn't a happy subject.  
  
"We can talk about anything I want right?"  
  
Sean nodded.  
  
"Okay well I don't want to talk about my brother."  
  
"All right," Sean concurred. "Would you care to tell me why?"  
  
"My brother is." Dri trailed off. "It's a sensitive subject. I mean I barely speak of him to Richie or Mac and I care about them. No offense, but I don't even know you."  
  
"That's understandable."  
  
"You're not going to push me?" She asked skeptically.  
  
He shook his head. "No, I won't pressure you to talk about anything you don't want to." Sean noticed that Dri visably relaxed. "What would you like to talk about?"  
  
"Preferably nothing."  
  
"Come on now. There has to be something you want to talk about. What about your father?"  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Tell me about him," Sean encouraged. "What was he like?"  
  
Dri smiled. "He was funny. He always enjoyed a good joke. He was strong too. He used to carry Adrian and me in each arm like we were nothing."  
  
"Adrian is your brother?" Sean asked.  
  
Her smile faded. "No, he WAS my brother. He's been dead for a long time."  
  
"Do you miss him?"  
  
"Of course I miss him, he was my brother!" She snapped. "We're not even supposed to be talking about him."  
  
"You're right," Sean said. "My fault. Tell me more about your father."  
  
"He was the greatest. I mean no one could ask for a better father. He took such good care of us."  
  
"What about your mother?" Sean asked. He watched the tension flow into her shoulders again.  
  
"She um.." She clutched R.J. tighter. "She wasn't the best mother in the world."  
  
He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well before daddy died she was pretty cool. I mean she wasn't like dad was, but she was decent."  
  
"And after your father died?"  
  
"Things were different." She replied vaguely.  
  
"What do you mean by different?"  
  
Before Dri could answer thunder rumbled quietly outside. Her gaze drifted to the window. She saw the grey clouds and the still wet windows. She was just grateful that the power was back on.  
  
"Is it supposed to rain all day?" Dri asked nervously.  
  
"I believe so."  
  
She pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her head on her knees.  
  
Sean tilted his head. "Why are you so afraid of the storm?"  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"Honestly."  
  
"I don't know." Her eyes glanced up to his. "When my dad was alive I was fine."  
  
"Did he die during a storm?" Sean questioned gently.  
  
Dri shook her head. "No, I mean the road was wet, but the storm had been the night before."  
  
"So you don't think that triggered it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well because even after he died for a while I didn't mind the storms. I mean I missed him rocking me to sleep, but Adrian and I..we had each other ya know."  
  
"When exactly is the first time you remember being scared of the storm?"  
  
She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling. "I'm not sure. It's been so long now, I just don't know."  
  
"Was it before or after Alec?" Sean pushed.  
  
"After." She answered quickly.  
  
Sean thought for a moment. Before he said anything thunder slammed and Dri jumped off the couch and started backing away from the window. Sean's gaze followed her.  
  
"What is it?" He asked.  
  
Dri was trembling. "I, I don't want to talk anymore."  
  
"That's fine. We can continue later."  
  
Dri kept backing up until she hit the wall. "Where's Mac?"  
  
Sean stood up and started walking towards her. "He's downstairs. Would you like me to go get him?"  
  
She slid down the wall, so she was sitting on the floor with her knees draw to her chest. "Please don't come near me."  
  
Sean stopped where he was. "Would you like me to get Duncan?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"All right," He said walking over to the elevator.  
  
Dri wasn't paying attention. Her gaze was fixed on the now pouring rain and lightning that was flashing around them. With every flash she had another vision. The first was of her mother hitting her. The second was of Alec beating Adrian. The third was of Adrian lying dead on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. The fourth was of Alec beating her.  
  
She shook her head trying to get the images to flee from her mind, but they kept coming. She remembered her nightmares of Adrian all bloody and bruised. She saw her mother yelling at her, telling her that it was Dri's fault her father was dead. That she was worthless. There was more and she did her best to rid them.  
  
She put her head between her knees as the first tear slid down her cheek. Her body was trembling so badly she didn't know what to do. She was cold, but it wasn't the cold that any amount of blankets could warm. Dri was cold on the inside at the core of her body.  
  
"Dri?"  
  
She looked up and saw Mac kneeling in front of her. She immediately threw herself into his arms and started sobbing. Mac embraced her gently.  
  
"It's all right." He soothed. "Everything's all right."  
  
"Don't leave me okay?" Came her muffled plea.  
  
Duncan readjusted himself and pulled her on his lap. Her arms were like a death grip around his neck.  
  
"I won't leave. I promise."  
  
Richie and Sean were bothing standing by the elevator watching what was going on. Richie was a little hurt that Dri hadn't asked for him, but she also knew she was still mad. He watched as Mac rocked Dri in his arms. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.  
  
Sean walked over to them and knelt down. "Dri?"  
  
She sniffled and turned her head so that she could see Sean.  
  
"I know you're scared and I know you don't want to talk, but I would really like you to tell me the first time you can remember the storm making you frightened."  
  
"I don't know," She mumbled.  
  
"You said it was after Alec came into your life," Sean encouraged. "Was it before or after Adrian died?"  
  
Dri thought about it. It had been so long it was hard to remember. "I'm sorry, I don't know."  
  
Sean smiled. "It's all right. Just rest now. We'll talk again later."  
  
He nodded to Duncan who picked up Dri and took her in the room, closing the door softly behind them.  
  
~~~~~~~~Please Review 


	6. A Thin Red Line

AN: This chapter deals a lot with cutting so if that bothers you please don't read this. You have been warned.  
  
Dri didn't wake until the next morning. She was so emotionally exhausted that she slept through the rest of the afternoon and all of the night. In a way she had been thankful that she was that fatigued. For the first time in a long time Dri had been able to sleep without having a nightmare. She woke up feeling energized and almost refreshed. Almost.  
  
She lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Dri knew the second she walked out of the room she would have to face everyone. They weren't going to let this go, but she really wished they would. It was her past, it was her problem, and she knew how to take care of it.  
  
Dri reached under her pillow and pulled out a blue switch blade. She clicked the button and the knife opened with a soft whoosh. She gazed upon in it in both admiration as well as disgust. She couldn't kill herself with it, but she was still mortal. It could still leave a scar.  
  
Dri lifted her shirt so that her bare stomach was exposed. She traced her fingers over the thin white scars that were just above her hipbone. Then she traced the ones under her naval. Finally she put the blade against of batch of smooth skin. It was flawless, no scars, no sign of pain.  
  
Gently, she took the knife and dragged it across her skin. A red line formed and Dri felt relief wash over her, but it wasn't enough. The pain was still there. Not from the cut, but inside. It was the pain inside that she couldn't handle.  
  
Dri cut herself again and again until the right side of her stomach was covered in nothing but a crimson mess. She cut until she felt all of her emotions flow out of her body. She cut until she felt completely and totally numb inside.  
  
She dragged the knife across her flesh one last time and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Now she was ready. Now she would be able to go out and face everyone. She wasn't afraid anymore.  
  
Dri sat up and gasped. It always felt good while she was doing it. Afterwards however, it hurt a whole hell of a lot. She looked down and her jaw dropped. She'd practically mutilated herself and she hadn't even realized it. Dri hadn't realized that she had hurt herself so much. More so, she didn't care.  
  
She eased herself out of bed and stood in front of her mirror. Part of her shirt was multicolored from the blood. Dri took off the shirt and grabbed a towel from her closet. She gently wiped most of the blood away and applied pressure to the wounds. She hadn't realized how deep she'd cut herself either. If anything she could blame all the bloody clothes on her period.  
  
Ten minutes later Dri emerged from her room wearing a black t-shirt that was about two sizes to big and navy sweats. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail leaving a few strands in her face.  
  
Sean was sitting at the kitchen counter and Duncan was leaning against the stove. Both men were sipping on coffee. They turned to face her and she waved lazily at them.  
  
"Morning sunshine," Duncan said with a smile on his face. "You want some breakfast?"  
  
Dri shook her head and shuffled her way over to the counter. She sat in the empty stool that was next to Sean.  
  
"How are you?" Sean asked.  
  
"Fine," Dri stated.  
  
"No nightmares?" The Highlander questioned.  
  
She shook her head. "Slept as snug as a bug in a rug." She smiled.  
  
Normally the questions would have already started irritating her, but right now she was feeling good.  
  
Duncan raised an eyebrow. "You're chipper this morning."  
  
Dri shrugged. "A good night's sleep will do that to you."  
  
Silence dominated the room for a few minutes until Dri looked over at Sean.  
  
"I didn't past the test did I?"  
  
Sean looked over at her. "Test?"  
  
"Yesterday," Dri explained. "The whole session thing."  
  
Sean set down his coffee cup and turned so his body was facing her. "Dri what wasn't a test. That session was to see if you were all right."  
  
"Well whatever you want to call it, you're going to make me talk to you again," She replied sullenly.  
  
"Dri do you understand what happened yesterday?"  
  
"Yeah you tricked me into telling you things so you could see if I needed psychiatric help!" She stated angrily.  
  
"No Dri, it wasn't. I didn't force you to tell me anything. You have a lot of emotions inside you that you don't know how to deal with."  
  
"Oh and what would you know about it?"  
  
"Dri, he can help you," Duncan told her. "Trust me."  
  
Her glare shot to the Highlander. "Trust you?"  
  
"Have I ever given you a reason not to?"  
  
"Do you really want me to answer that?"  
  
"Yes Dri, I really want you to answer that."  
  
She glared at him and she wanted to scream at him. To tell him he was a liar that and that she hated him. She stared long and hard into his brown eyes and realized she couldn't.  
  
"No," She finally said. "You've never given me a reason not to trust you."  
  
"Then trust me now."  
  
Dri dropped her head. "You can't help me. Neither of you have seen the things I have. You haven't been through the things I have."  
  
"Dri I've lived for over four hundred years. I'm not sure how long Sean's been around, but I'm sure it's a few centuries. Do you honestly believe that we've never been through something like this? That we've never seen something like this?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Listen to me Dri," Sean said. "I want to have a few sessions with you, but they're not going to be just talk and listen sessions."  
  
She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Yeah Sean," Duncan said. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I want to work with hypnosis."  
  
"No way!" Dri exclaimed. "Forget it!"  
  
"I think it will help you remember."  
  
"Remember what? Things I so do not want to remember! No thank you!"  
  
Sean sighed. "In order to get past this you need to remember. You need to know what happened."  
  
"I don't want to know what happened. I just want to forget that part of my life!"  
  
"Dri, if Sean says it will help, then it will help," Duncan told her.  
  
"Why can't you just leave it alone? It's my past and I can deal with it."  
  
Mac shook his head. "I don't think you can. Not by yourself."  
  
Dri suddenly wished for her knife again. The pain was building up inside her. She couldn't stand the pain. She couldn't stand the memories.  
  
"Dri please," Mac said when she stayed silent. "Let Sean try."  
  
She looked up into his pleading eyes. "Why do you want me to do this?"  
  
"Because," The Highlander said. "I don't want to see you hurting like this. I care about you too much to see you in so much pain!"  
  
"I'm not." Dri stuttered. "Um I'm not good at accepting help when it comes to my past."  
  
"We know," Sean said. "We'll go slowly at first. We'll work our way through things."  
  
Dri looked at him and nodded. "I ah..I'm not feeling so well," She lied.  
  
"What's wrong?" Duncan asked.  
  
"My stomach hurts a little."  
  
"I can make you some tea."  
  
She shook her head. "No, I just want to go lay down for a while."  
  
Mac nodded. "All right. I'll come and check on you in a little bit."  
  
Dri stood up and went to turn around.  
  
"Dri, what did you spill on your shirt?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Dri looked down and sure enough there was a big wet spot on her shirt. She immediately knew what it was. She had been hunched over at the counter and she hadn't been paying attention to what she was doing. She knew she was bleeding again.  
  
"There was nothing on your shirt when you came out of the room," Sean stated.  
  
"Yeah there was," Dri tried to lie. "It's an old stain."  
  
"Dri I didn't see anything either." Mac said. "What's going on?"  
  
She put her hand to her stomach. "It's nothing. I'm fine." She reassured them.  
  
"Dri," Mac said in a warning tone.  
  
"Look, Mac just drop it. It was there all right!"  
  
"Then lift up your shirt," Sean said.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Lift up your shirt," He said again. "Just enough so we can see your stomach. If it was there when you came out then there shouldn't be anything on your stomach. If it wasn't the wet spot had to have come from your stomach because there's no other possible explanation."  
  
"You're insane!" Dri said.  
  
"Do what he says."  
  
"Mac!"  
  
"If you don't want to lift your shirt in front of Sean, fine. I'll take you in the room and we'll do it there."  
  
"No!"  
  
Sean already had his own ideas. She was wearing baggy clothes, completely defensive about showing her body. Duncan had told him about McDaniels and Zane, but from what he understood she hadn't been shy around Duncan and Richie in quite some time.  
  
"Audrina!" Duncan said.  
  
Dri turned around and bolted for her room, but Duncan was too quick. He ran and grabbed her around the waist, just before she made it to her room. Dri cried out and struggled in his arms.  
  
Duncan squeezed his arms tighter and Dri cried out again. The pain was so excruciating that she started to fall. It was all Duncan could do to keep from falling on top of her. He let go and Dri fell to her knees with one arm clutching her stomach.  
  
Duncan looked at his arms and realized that they were covered in blood. He looked back and forth from the girl on the ground back to his arms.  
  
"My god Dri."  
  
Tears were steadily streaming down her face. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. Not now that he knew her secret.  
  
Sean walked over to them and kneeled down besides Dri.  
  
"Let me see your stomach."  
  
He gently moved her arm and lifted her shirt. Dri didn't protest. It was too late. They knew. They just had to see for themselves to make sure it was true.  
  
"Oh sweet heart," Duncan said seeing the cuts and blood. "What have you done to yourself?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~Please review 


	7. Session 2

AN: Hey guys thanks for the reviews, and sorry it took so long to update. I had writers block on this story for a while, but no more, NO MORE I SAY! Ha, Ha. Anyways I hope you enjoy the next chapter.  
  
After cleaning up Dri changed into a white shirt and loose grey pants. Anything tight hurt her stomach and was completely out of the question. Sean had been adamant that either he or Duncan stay in the room while she changed. He didn't want her hurting herself again.  
  
Well to hell with that. Dri had thought to herself. She wasn't about to let either one of them watch her change. Instead she told them that if she wasn't out in five minutes they could come in after her. Sean had reluctantly agreed, but only if he and Duncan searched the room first.  
  
Dri was sick of being in bloody clothes so she agreed and the two men went in to search her room. They found the switch blade, the two razor blades in her desk drawer and they had even as went so far as to take the sword Duncan had given her. They weren't taking any chances.  
  
Now Dri was sitting on the couch with her arms crossed. Sean was sitting in the chair and Duncan was sitting next to her. She wouldn't make contact with either of them.  
  
"How long have you been cutting?" Sean asked.  
  
"Not long."  
  
"How long is not long?"  
  
She shrugged. She didn't really want to tell them. Duncan would flip out when he found out. "Um I can't say for sure." She lied. Dri didn't really want to lie, but the truth would just add more to the already growing problem.  
  
"When's the first time you remember doing it?" Sean persisted.  
  
Duncan was sitting next to Dri just watching. He wanted to just grab her and hug her. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be all right, but he knew that if she didn't get the help she needed things wouldn't be all right. She'd keep hurting herself and he couldn't have that.  
  
Dri sighed. "A couple weeks ago, I think. I don't know!" She said exasperated.  
  
Sean said, "All right. Can you tell me why you do it?"  
  
Dri glanced over at Duncan. She didn't want to air this in front of him. She didn't want him to be more disappointed in her than he already was. She looked back down at her hands and didn't answer him.  
  
When Sean saw her glance over at Duncan he knew that she was self conscious in front of him. He wasn't going to get far with the Highlander sitting there. Dri wasn't going to say anything that would make Duncan upset or mad at her and to Dri that practically meant staying silent.  
  
"Duncan can I talk to you over here for a minute?" Sean asked.  
  
The Highlander nodded and they got up and walked over to the kitchen.  
  
"What's up Sean?"  
  
"I want you to leave."  
  
Mac's jaw dropped. "You're joking right?" He tried to keep his voice low enough that Dri wouldn't hear.  
  
"No," Sean stated calmly. "I'm not. She's not going to open up with you here. Can't you tell that everything she says revolves around you?"  
  
"What do you mean revolves around me?"  
  
"Dri takes what you think very seriously Mac. She's going to lie if she thinks that it will make you happy."  
  
"I don't want her to do that."  
  
"Then leave," Sean encouraged. "Let me talk to her. Our first priority is to find out why she's doing what she's doing."  
  
He glanced over at Dri. She was still looking at her hands. He could see the raw pain that was written all over her face. He didn't want to be the reason that she didn't open up and start to heal. Finally Duncan nodded. "You're right. I'll ah go see Joe for a bit."  
  
Dri watched them talking in the kitchen. She overheard a few words here and there. Mac didn't seem happy. She hoped it wasn't because of her.  
  
They walked back over and Duncan kneeled in front of her.  
  
"Listen I'm going to go out for a while. Is there anything I can get you while I'm out?"  
  
"You're leaving?" She asked jerking her head up. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry just don't go!"  
  
"Dri calm down. You didn't do anything wrong. There are just some things I need to take care of."  
  
"Oh, I get it."  
  
Duncan looked up at Sean, confusion written on his face. He didn't know what to do. If he left, Dri would think he didn't care about her, but if he stayed she wouldn't open up. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.  
  
He turned his attention back to Dri. "No, you don't get it. I'm not leaving because I don't' care about you. I'm leaving because I do."  
  
"Just go Duncan," She said.  
  
Now the highlander knew she was hurt. She never called him Duncan unless she was extremely upset. It broke his heart to have to walk out the door, but he knew it was for the best. He would make sure Dri understood why he left later on.  
  
He leaned up and kissed her on the forehead, then turned for the door. "I'll be back in an hour," He told Sean.  
  
The therapist nodded. Duncan took one last look at Dri and left the loft.  
  
Sean sat back in the chair and looked at Dri. "Why did you start cutting Dri?"  
  
"Boy you don't miss a beat do you?"  
  
Smiling he replied, "Rarely."  
  
"Will you tell Mac?"  
  
"That all depends."  
  
"On what?"  
  
He crossed his legs. "On whether I believe he needs to know or not."  
  
"Then I'm not going to tell you," She stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Are you afraid of what Duncan will think of you?"  
  
"It doesn't matter what Mac thinks of me from this," Dri said angrily. "He already doesn't want to be around me. By next week I'm sure I'll be back out on the streets."  
  
"You truly believe he'll kick you out?" Sean kept his tone neutral. He wasn't surprised she had thought that.  
  
She nodded. "Everyone else has."  
  
"Who's everyone else?"  
  
"My mother and I more so ran from Alec. He wasn't the nicest of people, but everyone I've ever run into between here and there wouldn't help me and if they did take me in I was out on my butt just as fast," She sighed. "I sort of thought...never mind."  
  
"What?" Sean asked. "What was it you thought?"  
  
Dri fidgeted with her hands. She was extremely uncomfortable at this point. She didn't want Sean to go back and tell Duncan, but what did it matter. The Highlander was already going to kick her out. She knew it.  
  
"What was it you thought?" He asked again.  
  
"I thought that Mac was different. He reminding me so much of my father, and Richie.well he's Richie and I love him, and I thought that they loved me, but now that they know the truth, how can they?" The whole thing came out in one long ramble and Dri was surprised she had even confessed.  
  
"You think that because you cut yourself they can't love you?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Dri that's not true," He told her calmly. "They love you because of who you are everything good and bad. Just because something goes wrong doesn't mean they stop caring."  
  
"Don't you understand?" Dri pleaded. "No one can love me. I'm evil. I killed my own brother, how could someone love a murderer?"  
  
"I thought Alec pushed him down the stairs?" Sean questioned. He was a little shocked at the change in stories, but didn't let Dri know that.  
  
"It's not that simple," She cried.  
  
"Then explain it to me."  
  
Dri took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She knew better than to tell the truth. She had never told anyone the truth. But she wanted to, needed to so desperately. Maybe she needed to confess to make all the pain go away, so that Adrian could rest in peace, so that he would stop haunting her dreams.  
  
On the other hand if she did tell she knew without a doubt that they would take her to jail. She would spend the rest of her life in prison. Maybe that's what she deserved, but she was scared, a coward to face the consequences of her actions. After a few moments she shook her head.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because it's none of your damn business; yours or anyone else's."  
  
"Did you push him down the stairs?" Sean asked.  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
"Did you push him down the stairs?"  
  
Tears welled in her eyes.  
  
"Did you push him down the stairs?"  
  
Dri shook her head again. "Don't do this Sean."  
  
"Did you push him down the stairs?"  
  
Dri wasn't going to fall for his trick. She wasn't going to answer. Even as the first tear rolled down her cheek she said that to herself, but before she could stop herself, she found herself shouting:  
  
"HE DIDN'T FALL DOWN THE STAIRS! I STABBED HIM TO DEATH!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~Please Review Guys 


	8. A Little Bit Of Truth

AN: Hey guys miss me? I know you did. Anyways, SOOO sorry...but life has been REAL hectic. Here's the next chapter. Tell me what you think.

Sean sat in his chair, legs crossed, hands folded in his lap. He didn't even bat an eye and Dri couldn't understand why. Before she knew it she was laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" Sean asked.

"I thought it would make you freak out, when I told you that."

"I still don't understand why it's funny."

Dri walked back over to the couch and sat down. "Do you believe it?"

"Is it true?"

Dri tilted her head. "What if I said it was?"

"Then I'd ask you to tell me why."

"But it isn't, and you already knew that."

Sean nodded. "I did."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why? I knew it wasn't true and so did you. The question is why did you say it?"

Dri shrugged. "I don't know. To give you an answer."

"But it wasn't truthful. You don't want to be honest, not even with yourself."

Dri's shoulders tensed. "What do you mean?"

"You're not responsible for your brother's death and you know it. You just don't want to face it."

Dri stared at her hands. "It was my fault. I dream about it every night."

"How was it your fault?"

She sighed. "Alec wanted me, only me. When I wouldn't do what he wanted he'd either..."

"Either what?" Sean asked. She was getting close to talking and he didn't want Dri to stop now.

"He'd either beat Adrian or drug me and take what he wanted anyways."

"And what is it he wanted?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Dri, not talking about it won't make it go away. You can't let it stay in there forever."

She looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. "You want to know why I cut?"

Sean nodded.

She sighed heavily. "Cutting makes it go away."

"Makes what go away?"

"The pain inside of me." She pointed to her chest. "The pain in here, when I cut it all goes away."

"But it's only temporary."

"Temporary is better than nothing," Dri snapped. "It's like when the blood pours, so does the pain. I don't want the pain anymore."

"We can make the pain go away in better ways."

Dri laughed again. "What by talking about it?"

"It sometimes helps."

"Says you."

"Says a lot of people."

"Dri when was the first time you cut?"

"I told you a couple of weeks ago."

"Maybe this time," Sean replied. "But I think it's been going on for a while."

Dri smiled sullenly. "What makes you think that?"

"Because if you use cutting as a way to release the pain and you've been in pain for a long time."

"Adrian caught me the first time. He was so mad at me, or so I thought. Come to find out he was just worried."

"So it's been a while then?"

"Yeah, I don't remember how long exactly, but a few years definitely."

"Consistently?"

Dri shook her head. "No, a few weeks are truthful. I hadn't been cutting since before I came to live with Mac."

"Why not?"

Shrugging she said, "I was too busy trying to survive. Adrian was dead and Alec was coming after me constantly."

Sean nodded. "What did Alec do to you?"

Dri hugged herself tightly. "I...I don't want to talk about it."

"All right," Sean said, knowing she wasn't ready. He still planned on doing the hypnosis. It would probably be easier for her to talk that way.

Duncan walked into the apartment. "Am I early?"

Sean shook his head. "No, I think you're right on time."

Dri ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Please don't be mad at me. Please don't kick me out!"

Duncan pulled her away and looked down into her eyes. "What on earth makes you think that I'm mad at you, or that I would kick you out?"

"B...because I'm tainted. No one wants to be around someone who's tainted."

Mac pulled her into a hug. "Dri, I'm not mad at you and I will never kick you out. I love you. I'm just worried about you."

Dri began sobbing into his shirt. She had been crying so much lately and she was so disappointed in herself, but she couldn't help it.

Pulling away from Duncan, she said, "I'm tired."

"Why don't you go get some rest?"

"Actually if you're going to go to bed, I think we should start with the hypnosis."

"More drugs?" Dri asked shakily.

"Only a mild sedative."

She looked wildly back at Duncan. "No, Mac please! No more drugs!"

"Sean, is it really necessary?"

Sean walked over to them. "You're opening up Dri, and that's good, but can you tell me why you're afraid of storms? Can you tell me what exactly Alec did to you?"

Dri thought about it. "No, but..."

"But this can help."

She looked back and forth from Sean to Mac. Finally her eyes settled for the floor. "I don't want to do this." Suddenly a thought came to mind. "Sean, how did you know I don't remember exactly what Alec did to me when he drugged me?"

Sean smiled. "I told you I rarely miss a beat."

Dri crossed her arms over her chest. "I still don't want to do this."

"Dri..." Mac started.

"No, this wasn't part of the deal! You said talk to him! You never said anything about drugs!"

"I said we go by what Sean says, and Sean says you need to do this."

Dri felt anger rising in her. "This isn't fair!"

"Dri this is going to help, I promise," Sean told her.

"NO!"

"Dri, please." Mac pleaded.

She looked down. "This isn't fair."

Please Review


	9. Memories

AN: Okay guys there are mentions of sexual abuse, though not really graphic. If that's not your bag than please take the time NOT to read this chapter. Thanks and please review...

"Please Duncan, I don't want to do this," Dri said, lying in her bed. Her heart was pounding.

Mac was sitting on the edge of her bed. He hated when she called him Duncan. It meant she wasn't happy. He hated not seeing her happy. "Dri, this can't go on anymore. You won't talk about it...

"I don't remember," She said glaring at him.

"I know," Mac said patting her hand. "I know, but even the stuff you do remember you don't want to talk about. Sean knows what he's doing. You're going to be perfectly safe."

"Says you," She snapped.

"We'll start off easy," Sean said from the door. He had been getting things together for the session.

"I don't want to start off easy; I don't want to do this. I just want to leave my memories where they are, forgotten."

Mac looked up at Sean. "Are you sure she's ready for this?"

Sean sighed and walked over to them. He pulled out the chair from Dri's desk and sat down. "Dri, I want you to tell me again why you cut."

Dri's eyes went wide and she looked over at Mac. "Y..You already know why," She stuttered.

"Dri, I'm not mad at you," Duncan said. "I'm not going to kick you out, I'm not going to abandon you."

Dri's eyes glistened with tears. "Really?"

Mac shook his head. "I don't understand why you would even think that."

Dri pulled away, not answering him. Her head turned to the window as silent tears slid down her face.

"Dri?"

"I don't want you here for this Duncan."

The Highlanders eyes went wide. "Dri.."

"No, I don't want you here for this." She looked back to him, eyes angry. "I don't want to remember this, but you want me to, fine, for some reason you think I need to, but I want to tell you whatever it is when I'm ready. I don't want you to hear it through some drug."

Duncan sucked in his breath. He respected that he really did, but he also didn't want to leave her alone to go through this alone. Then again, she wasn't really alone. Sean would be here and Mac knew Sean wouldn't let anything happen to Dri. Slowly he let his breath out and nodded his head. "All right, I'll be in the other room."

"No, I don't want you here."

Mac looked like he was about to say something, but Dri cut him off before he could. "These walls are thin Duncan. If I scream you'll hear and you'll want to come running in here. I don't want that. I've respected that you want me to do this, but I need you to respect that I don't want you here when I do."

Mac felt like he'd been punched in the gut. It hurt him that Dri didn't want him there. He knew she was right though. Being in the other room wouldn't muffle her screams and Duncan would want to come running. He had to respect what she wanted. Leaning over he kissed her on the head. Turning to Sean he said, "You'll take care of her?"

Sean nodded. "You know I will."

Dri didn't watch as Mac walked out of the room. She didn't even want to look at him. She knew what she said had hurt him, but she didn't know what she was going to remember and her memories were not an audience for all to see. Dri would tell Mac and Richie when she was ready, not before.

When Dri heard the door close she turned her gaze towards it.

"He understands why you don't want him here," Sean told her.

Dri turned her attention to the other man in the room. She had almost forgotten he was there. She almost wished he wasn't there. "He's hurt."

Sean nodded. "Yes, he is, but not in the way you think."

"He's hurt because I don't want him here." Tears still slid down her cheek.

"That's true in a sense. Duncan knows you care about him and you're not kicking him out because you don't want him here. You're asking him to leave because you need to deal with this on your own first."

"It still hurts him."

"Because he wants to be here to ease your pain, and he can't do that. Duncan doesn't like to see you hurt and when you are he wants to do everything he can to fix it."

Dri tilted her head to the side. "Is that why he asked me to do this?"

"Yes I believe it is."

Dri sighed. She didn't want to do this, but she'd do just about anything for Mac or Richie. She still believed it wasn't fair, but she couldn't stand seeing the pain in either of their eyes anymore.

"So how does this work?"

Sean pulled a syringe out of his shirt pocket. "This is a mild sedative. It will put you in a relaxed state, but you won't be entirely asleep."

Dri nodded.

"Why don't you lie down and get comfortable."

Dri did as she was told, settling on her side, facing the wall. Sean would still be there, but that didn't mean she had to look at him.

Sean injected the sedative into her arm, sat back down and waited for it to take effect.

After a few minutes he had passed he started talking to her. "Dri can you hear me?"

"Yes." Her voice was soft, no sound of pain in it.

"Tell me about you're brother Dri."

Dri sighed. "Adrian, so sweet, so...protective. He acted as though I was five years younger than him even though I was only three minutes younger."

She pictured Adrian in her head. The same red hair as her own, same olive skin, but his face was more masculine. "No matter what happened he never got mad at me. I could never understand it."

"Why would he get mad at you?"

"Because he took all of the beatings that were meant for me," There was an edge of regret in her voice.

"Why were they for you?"

"I...I don't remember."

Sean edged towards her. "I want you to tell me about the first time you remember Alec beating Adrian."

"I remember being in my room with Adrian. Alec came in and just started hitting him."

"Why?"

"I..don't know."

"Yes you do Dri, tell me why Alec was beating Adrian."

"I don't want to remember." Her voice was small, like a frightened child.

"But you need to remember Dri. Tell me what happened. Alec can't hurt you now, he's dead."

"I...I'm scared. I don't want to remember."

"There's nothing to be scared of Dri, it's just a memory. Tell me why Alec was beating Adrian."

In her mind Dri saw Alec hitting Adrian over and over again. It was like a movie in her mind. She could rewind or fast forward, so she tried to rewind it, but it was like the beginning was missing. All she could see was Alec beating the hell out of Adrian.

Dri could hear Sean coaxing her, telling her to tell him why. She didn't want to know why, and she didn't know why she didn't want to know why, but whatever it was it scared her.

She tried rewinding the movie again, and this time she sucked in her breath. She was at the beginning. It wasn't Adrian who had been in her room first, it had been Alec.

"Tell me why Dri, why was Alec beating Adrian."

New tears slid down her cheeks. "Because Adrian was trying to protect me."

Sean sat back in his chair. He was making progress, this was good.

"What was Adrian trying to protect you from?"

Dri moaned.

"Tell me what you see Dri," Sean encouraged.

"Alec, no!"

"What is he doing to you Dri?"

Dri was sleeping in her bed, in her old room. Something woke her up, but she wasn't sure what it was. The clock showed that it was a little after midnight. Yawning she sat up in bed. A gasp escaped her throat.

"Alec, what are you doing here?"

Alec smiled and Dri didn't like the way he did it. It was evil, knowing, but Dri didn't know what Alec knew that she didn't.

"Alec?"

He walked over to her bed and Dri backed herself against the headboard. She didn't like this. She didn't like it all.

Alec sat down next to her, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

"Alec what do you want?"

He leaned in to kiss her, but Dri pulled away. "What are you doing?"

Alec laughed. He acted as though he was going to brush away another strand of hair, but instead he grabbed her hair and forced her lips against his.

Dri let out a muffled cry. She pushed him back and slapped him across the face. A glimmer of something flashed in his eyes.

"I never thought you'd be a fighter."

Dri's heart was pounding as she tried to roll off the opposite side of the bed, but Alec was too fast and grabbed her around the waist. Dri screamed as Alec rolled her on her back and climbed on top of her.

Alec undid his robe and shrugged it off, leaving him nothing but a pair of boxers. Dri went to slap him again, but Alec held her wrists down. She was completely pinned beneath him. Alec leaned in close to her face, so that Dri could feel his warm breath on her face. "I've been waiting a long time for this."

"Alec no, Alec no, please get off of me," Her voice was frantic as she struggled underneath him.

He laughed. "Keep begging, I like it better when you beg." He held her wrists with one arm, using the other to slide his hand up her shirt.

Dri's door flew open just as she screamed again. Adrian was standing at the door.

"Get off of her!" He yelled, lunging for Alec.

Alec rolled off of Dri and was standing before Adrian could rush him. Alec used Adrian's own body weight to flip him over and down on the ground.

"This has nothing to do with you boy," Alec told him. "Just walk away and no one gets hurt."

Adrian stood back up. "No one but my sister right." He threw a punch, but Alec caught it, pulled Adrian into him and kneed him in the gut.

"Alec, leave him alone!" Dri screamed.

Alec paid no attention as he continuously hit Adrian over and over again. Dri jumped on his back and tried to pull Alec off, but the end result was Dri against a wall.

The next few minutes were hazy and all Dri could remember was being thrown on the bed.

"NO!" She screamed.

"Dri, listen to me, it's Sean." He didn't like the fact that she was getting so excited. It was time to bring her out of it. "I want you to come back, come out of the memory now."

Her body was shaking so badly it was almost in convulsions.

"Dri, I want you to come back to the present."

Dri listened to Sean's voice and pulled on it like a fishing line. She followed it, followed the soothing sound of his voice, anything to get away from this memory.

"Dri?"

"Yeah Sean?" She asked groggily.

Sean smiled, knowing that Dri's mind was back where it should be. "Get some sleep Dri, we'll talk some more in the morning."

Dri snuggled into her pillow. "M'kay."

When Sean was sure that Dri was asleep, he left her alone to rest.

Please review!!


	10. The Morning After

AN: I'm baaaack. Yes I will steadily be updating now that my life is back to some kind of normalcy. Enjoy the next chapter.

The next morning Dri walked out of the room. She stretched her arms into the air and walked over to the bar.

"Good morning Dri," Sean said walking over to her.

The red head visibly tensed. For a moment Dri had forgotten about the hypnosis. She thought it was just another morning. "Hey Sean."

"How are you feeling?" He asked sitting on the stool next to hers.

She shrugged. "Fine."

He nodded.

"Where's Mac?" She asked walking over to the fridge and pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"Running with Richie," Sean replied. "They should be back soon."

Dri took a sip of her orange juice and put the glass down on the bar across from Sean. "Listen, about the hypnosis thing," She said. "I'm not so sure I want to do that again." She took another sip of her juice.

"Why?" Sean asked.

She held up her hand until she swallowed her juice. "Let me rephrase," Dri said. "I don't think I need it anymore."

"Care to elaborate," He asked.

"Well, I remember what started everything now," Dri shrugged. "That's what you wanted to know well now we know it."

"What was it exactly that you saw?" Sean asked leaning against the counter.

"You heard it all last night," Dri said. "I don't really want to talk about it again." She downed the rest of her juice.

Sean noticed the way that Dri was being nonchalant about the whole situation. It was not what he had expected at all. His thought was cut short as he felt the presence of another immortal.

"Hi Mac, Hi Richie," Dri said after seeing the look on Sean's face.

A moment later the elevator went up and the two men walked out. They were both covered in sweat, hair matted to their heads.

"Hey Dri," Richie said. "Anymore juice?"

She nodded. "Plenty," She handed Richie her glass. "Refill please?" She smiled and batted her eyelashes.

Richie took the glass from her hand smiling. "Yeah, yeah I should have known."

"Dri I would like to talk to you some more," Sean said not wanting to get into details in front of these two men. Dri wouldn't open up he knew that.

"Sure, whatever," She said as Richie handed her the juice.

Mac walked over and took the seat next to Sean.

"Hey Mac I've got an idea," Dri said.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Let's go to the park and have a picnic," She suggested.

Mac smiled. That was one of the things Dri had always loved to do with them. In fact she had loved it so much that Dri, Richie, and Mac had made it there usual Sunday outing. Dri had given up on the last couple of weeks. To hear her ask to do it was music to Mac's heart.

"I like that idea," Mac replied. "What do you say Richie?"

"Anything that has to do with food sounds good to me," He said.

Dri elbowed him playfully in the gut, causing Richie to spit up some of the juice he had just sipped. Dri laughed at the sight of orange liquid dripping down Richie's face.

"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Richie asked.

Dri nodded laughing too hard to speak.

Richie mocked Dri's movements. "Oh yeah?" He threw the rest of his juice all over Dri.

Dri had turned her head so the juice landed on the right side of her face and hair along with the front of her shirt. She was staring at him, jaw open, a glimmer in her eye. She took a step towards Richie and before he could blink she picked her drink up off the counter and threw it at him, splattering his face and chest orange.

Dri began laughing again.

"Oh you're going to pay for that," Richie said. Dri shrieked as Richie started chasing her around the apartment.

Mac watched them running around the small space and couldn't help but laugh as Richie tackled her on the couch.

Dri cried out in pain and Richie was immediately off of her. "What happened?" Richie asked worriedly.

Dri lay on her side clutching her stomach. Mac and Sean immediately ran over there. They forgot that Richie didn't know.

"Dri," Mac said sitting next to her.

"I didn't tackle her that hard," Richie said, anxiously. "I didn't think I'd hurt her."

"It's not your fault Richie," Mac said as he gently lifted Dri's shirt. "You didn't know."

Richie saw the large gauze across Dri's stomach. "What happened?"

"I forgot," Dri said.

"It's all right," Sean told her. "You were caught in the moment."

"Would someone please tell me what's happened to Dri?" Richie said, frustration seeping out in his voice.

Sean and Mac looked at the young girl.

"It's up to you," Mac said to her.

Dri nodded and Mac removed the gauze. Dri winced as the tape pulled on her skin.

Richie gasped as he saw Dri's stomach. There were so many cuts and scars. "Dear God Dri, what happened?"

"I did it to myself," She said looking him in the eye.

Richie met her gaze, pain filled in his own eyes. "You did this to yourself?"

She nodded.

"Why?"

"Seemed like the right thing to do at the time," She said as Duncan walked over and got the first aid kit.

Richie nodded. "I get it."

She waved him off. "You don't have to say that for my benefit."

"You don't understand," He said. "I really do. You hurt yourself because it makes you feel better inside. Maybe only for a while, but it takes away all the pain in your heart, and your soul."

Dri looked at him with confusion and astonishment. "What exactly was it that Sean helped you with again?"

Richie scratched his head. "Long story."

Mac sat back down and began cleaning her up. "It seems you two have a lot in common," He said eyeing Richie.

"We can still go on that picnic?" Dri asked hopefully. She was trying to change the subject. "Right?"

Mac couldn't help but smile. "Yeah we can still go on the picnic, but no more rough housing." He finished bandaging Dri's stomach.

"Just so long as it's out of this place," Dri said smiling. "A girl can only stay cooped up in a place for so long."

"We know," Mac and Richie said in unison.

Sean raised an eyebrow. "Something I don't know about?"

Dri looked down shyly. Mac and Richie only grinned.

"Do you want to tell him or should we?" Mac asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"I, err, well see I had this little habit," Dri began.

"Habit?" Sean asked.

"It was a very bad, very dangerous habit," Mac said.

"You see," Dri said sitting up. "I have or rather had this thing for climbing down fire escapes. Needless to say it got me into trouble a time or two."

"A time or two," Richie exclaimed. "That's being generous! McDaniel got a hold of you twice alone!"

"Hey the first time Mac told me to run," Dri argued. "I couldn't exactly run through the front door!"

"Why couldn't you do that?" Sean asked.

"Because of Andrew," Dri said getting up and walking to the window.

Sean watched as Mac and Richie exchanged a glance. "Who's Andrew?"

"Andrew WAS a watcher," Dri said still staring out the window. "He helped another immortal to kidnap me."

"I'm assuming he didn't survive through this dilemma?" Sean asked in a neutral voice.

Dri looked at him. "Not after I shot him."

"She had no choice," Richie said in Dri's defense.

"You don't have to defend me," Dri said. She wasn't angry when she said it. Her voice was impassive. She looked at Sean. "He was trying to rape me, so I shot him."

Sean nodded. "It was self defense."

"Something like that," Dri said.

"But you still feel guilt?" Sean asked.

"Sometimes, but most of the time I realize it was either kill him or let him hurt me."

"So you realize you had no other choice," Sean continued.

"I know," She shook herself as though she were shaking something off. "Bad subject, moving on," She looked at Mac. "Picnic?"

Nodding, Mac smiled. "Picnic," He agreed.

Purty Please Will You Review!


	11. Picnic In The Park

AN: Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Mac, Dri, Richie, and Sean were all eating over a thin blanket they had spread across the ground. Dri overlooked the hills. Mac had told her that he had trained Richie here once upon a time. Dri had loved the place and had chosen this particular spot as the place to have their picnics.

Richie bit into his sandwich. "These are really good, Mac," He mumbled through a mouth full of food.

"I think he figured that out after you had your third one," Dri laughed. "And stop talking with food in your mouth. It's gross."

"What are you my mother?" Richie asked after he swallowed his food.

She threw a potato chip at him. "No, but manners wouldn't kill you."

"Maybe they would," Richie said sarcastically. "You don't know."

Dri shook her head. "I'm going to feed the ducks." She grabbed a few pieces of bread and stood up. "You coming?"

Richie nodded. "Yeah."

"Mac?" She asked turning to the highlander.

Feeding the ducks by the lake was also a weekly event. Mac declined though, wanting to stay and talk with Sean.

"Suit yourself," Dri shrugged. "Come on Richie."

Richie grabbed a few slices of bread and the two walked down the hill to where the lake was.

"She seems so happy," Mac said when they were out of ear shot. "What changed?"

Sean shook his head. "Nothing changed. She's not happy."

"That's why I said seems," Mac said. "It's too quick of a turn around. What's really going on?"

"You know I can't tell you the details," Sean said. "She wouldn't talk to me again if I did."

"She'd think you betrayed her," Duncan agreed. "So what can you tell me?"

Sean sighed. "Well I can tell you that after what Dri remembered last night, I'm surprised she's not more withdrawn. I think she's hiding her feelings. She's trying to make you think she's okay by acting how she thinks you want her to act."

"I just want to her to be okay," Mac said. "I want her to be happy."

"She knows that," Sean said glancing down to where Richie and Dri were feeding the ducks. Dri was laughing at something that Richie had said. "So instead of facing her pain, or sulking and seeing the pain in your eyes she's opted to act the way she thinks will make you happy."

"Even though she's still hurting inside," Mac said. "This is ridiculous Sean. Why won't she just talk to me, or you, or anyone? Why does talking to her have to be like…"

"Pulling teeth?" Sean asked.

Duncan nodded.

"Part of it is she doesn't understand," Sean told him.

"Understand what?"

"That what happened to Dri, wasn't her fault," Sean said. "She feels like if she tells you what happened in the past you won't love her anymore."

"I've told her a million times that I will always love her," Mac said. "I don't know why she doesn't understand that."

"Because they're just words, Duncan," Sean told him. "Words that she's heard from people she cared about before and they all either hurt her or died. In all honesty I believe she feels as though she's unlovable."

"That's ridiculous," Mac said looking down at her. She was kneeling next to the lake tossing pieces of bread onto the water. "I love her like a daughter. What happened to her in the past, what Alec did to her it wasn't her fault."

"I know that, and you know that, but it's been drilled into her head so many times that she believes it."

"So how do we make her not believe it," Mac asked returning his gaze to Sean.

"We have to basically deprogram her," Sean replied.

Mac raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

Sean sighed. "In some traumatic situations similar to what happened to Dri, the victim uses self blame as a coping mechanism."

"How does blaming herself help her to cope?" Mac asked genuinely confused.

"It allows Dri to feel some sort of control or power over what happened. It let's her feel as though she weren't completely helpless."

Duncan nodded. "So she blames herself instead of feeling guilty over not being able to help her brother."

"I truly don't think this is about her brother," Sean said.

The Highlander eyed Sean suspiciously. "What are you not telling me?"

"What he promised he wouldn't," Dri said walking up behind them. Richie was still by the lake. She had just come to get more bread. "So much for having a nice picnic," She stormed past them.

"Dri wait," Mac said standing up.

"You couldn't leave it alone," Dri said turning to face him. "You couldn't just wait till I came to you!" Venom filled every word. "You had to pry! Damn Duncan you don't press Richie, but you'll sure as hell do it to me!"

"Richie's not hurting himself, and when he was I did press him and I brought Sean into help."

Dri shook her head. "One day," She said. "All I wanted was one day to forget what he just made me remember. I wanted one more good memory before I told you what happened to me, before I had to face it, but you didn't have the patience to wait!"

"Dri," Sean said.

"You go to hell!"

She turned and walked away.

"Anyone care to tell me what just happened here?" Richie asked walking up to them.

"Dri over heard part of a conversation," Sean said. "She didn't get the jest of it and thought Mac was prying into the session we had last night."

Richie crossed his arms over his chest. "Were you?" He asked Mac.

"Not like you're thinking," The Highlander replied.

Richie shook his head. "In other words you were."

"He wasn't asking what happened," Sean explained. "He was asking how we help her come out of her shell."

"By giving her the space to do so," Richie said. "If you guys keep hounding her she's only going to close up more."

"Richie we can't let her go on like this," Mac said. "She's hurting herself."

"I'm not suggesting we let her go on like this Mac. I'm just saying lets not make Dri and her problems the topic of every conversation and every outing. Sometimes you just need to get your mind off things," Richie said. "Why do you think she suggested the picnic in the first place? She needed a break."

"He's right," Sean said. "I'm just as much at fault for this as you are Duncan. We shouldn't have been talking about her. Not right now. This was her time to digest everything she saw."

"Or deny it," Mac said.

"No, she's not going to deny it. She knows it's true, but right now it's like a dream to her," Sean said. "She knows it happened, she won't deny that to herself. It's whether she will deny it to the rest of us."

"Okay see this is what I'm talking about," Richie said throwing his hands up in defeat. "Stop talking about it. Stop talking about her! She doesn't want to be the center of attention! Dri just wanted to have a normal day without her problems and even now after she ran off you can't stop talking about it!" He shook his head. "I'll find Dri and bring her back to the loft. See if you guys can find something else to talk about while I'm gone," Richie said walking past them.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Dri said kicking the dirt. She hadn't gone far. Just to the other side of side of the fields. She had thought going on a picnic would make everyone forget for just a while. She just wanted a memory of a normal day before she faced it all.

Dri picked up a rock and chucked it as hard as she could. "Just couldn't leave it alone," She mumbled. "Had to bring it up."

"That's Mac for you."

Dri whirled around. "Richie you scared the hell out of me!" He was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. "You didn't have to follow me. I'm fine."

"I know you're fine," He said. "But hey I'd rather hang out with you than with those two old geezers." He smiled.

She gave him a disbelieving glance.

"It's true," Richie insisted walking over to her. "I was having fun hanging out by the lake."

"So was I until Duncan had to start prying about what happened last night," She kicked the dirt again. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Well I'd call Mac a lot of things," Richie said. "But I don't think stupid is one of them."

"Not him," Dri yelled. "Me! I'm stupid!"

"You're stupid?" He asked.

"I'm stupid," She said.

Richie nodded. "Okay."

"You're not going to ask me why?" Dri asked.

He shook his head. "You've been hounded by questions for the last couple of days. If you want me to know you'll tell me."

"You're not going to press me?"

"Nope."

Dri tilted her head in confusion. Then, without warning she ran over and threw her arms around Richie's waist.

"Hey, it's all right," Richie said embracing her.

"Thank you," She said.

"For what?"

She pulled back so she could look up at him. "For trusting me enough not to ask questions."

"Let me tell you something," Richie said. "Come here sit down." The walked over to the tree Richie had been leaning against and sat down in its cool shade. Richie threw his arm around Dri's shoulders and she settled into his embrace.

Richie sighed and looked over at her. "I know you've been through a lot Dri. I could honestly probably guess whatever it is you're not telling us."

"I really hope that you couldn't," Dri said.

"Hey I'm an orphan remember," Richie said. "I lived on the streets for a long time, but I also lived in some nasty foster homes."

Dri looked up at him. "Doesn't sound like it was fun."

Richie shook his head. "It wasn't. The places I had been made me not want to trust anyone."

"I know that feeling," Dri said snuggling back into his embrace.

He nodded. "I know you do."

"But you trust Mac," Dri said.

"Yeah I do."

"Why?"

"Because in all the years I've known him he's never given me a reason not to."

"What about all the questions? Didn't he judge you?"

"Never once," Richie said shaking his head.

"I'm sure he'd judge me if he knew."

"I always thought the same thing," Richie said. "But anything Mac found out, he never cared. Well he cared, but he didn't look at me different, he didn't think I was dirty or to blame."

"Because you weren't," Dri said looking up at him again. "It's not your fault if those people hurt you."

Richie smiled at her. "Now how many times have you heard Mac tell you what you just told me?"

"That's not fair," She said. "You tricked me."

He nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Dri wanted to get mad but knew she couldn't. "If I'm not to blame," She said. "Than why did all those bad things happen? What did I do that was so wrong?"

Richie gently squeezed her shoulders. "You didn't do anything Dri. You were in a situation you had no control over. There was nothing you could do."

"But it feels so bad," She said closing her eyes. "And it never goes away."

"You're too busy blaming yourself to let it go away," Richie said.

Dri shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Richie nodded. "Okay."

Dri was grateful that Richie wasn't pushing her. She was sick of everyone always pushing her. She was going to tell Mac and Richie, she really was, but she needed to do it on her own terms.

"Do you think Mac is mad at me?" She asked.

Richie looked at her questioningly. "Why would he be mad at you?"

Dri shrugged. "Because of the way I acted back there."

Richie smirked. "Trust me I think I pissed him off more."

"Why?" She asked.

"I told him and Sean to lay off you," He winked at her. "I told them that they needed to find a new topic to talk about other than you."

"Really?" She asked.

He nodded. "Listen Dri, I won't force you to tell me anything. I know what it's like to be hounded about your past, but this cutting…"

"It makes the pain go away Richie."

"I know it does, but you hurting yourself causes pain to the people around you."

"I don't want to hurt anyone else," Dri said softly. "But I don't want to hurt anymore either."

Richie gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You don't have to."

She looked up at him. "How do I make it stop?"

Richie brushed a stray hair out of her face. "By letting us help you."

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